Latest news with #KateWilliams
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Dallavalle enjoying life after captain's armband
Women's summer series: Australia v WalesVenue: North Sydney Oval Date: Friday, 1 August Kick-off: 10:00 BSTCoverage: Watch on BBC Sport online and BBC iPlayer, listen on Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and BBC Sounds. Hannah Dallavalle admits she was disappointed to be relieved of the Wales women captaincy, but is starting to enjoy a more relaxed role around camp. The 28-year-old took over the armband from Siwan Lillicrap at the 2022 Rugby World Cup, describing it as one of the "greatest honours" of her Test led Wales to a top three Six Nations finish in 2023, but two Wooden Spoon campaigns followed and a player contract dispute which almost forced her to coach Sean Lynn said he needed fresh leadership going into the Rugby World Cup and named Alex Callender and Kate Williams as said she was "disappointed to start" but is beginning to see life beyond the armband. "It has been a tough transition, people don't see what's happened behind closed doors," she said. "It was Lynny's decision to make that change, I had no control over it. It was a decision that I didn't take lightly but I'm working on myself, concentrating on my own performance and what I bring to the team."Unless you've done captaincy before, you don't really know what the demands of a captain are off the field, maybe that took a toll."I've definitely got more time now. I'm actually going out with the girls to the beach and stuff. "I'm still putting the work in for rugby, but I'm definitely much more relaxed off the field." One of Lynn's reasons to relieve Dallavalle was that he did not see the player he coached during his time in charge at Gloucester-Hartpury, but she said it is a difficult comparison to make as they are a different team."I don't know if I'm going to get a Gloucester-Hartpury performance in a Welsh shirt, you've got different people around you, different coaches, different environment," Dallavalle said, but is hopeful they can taste the same first win came last Saturday with Wales running out 21-12 winners in the first of two Tests against it was fitting that Dallavalle scored the decisive try in what was a statement win against a higher ranked team just four weeks out from the World Cup."I said to Lleucu [George] on the bus, 'set me up today, it's been a while' and she delivered, she was outstanding. It was her try really, I did the easy part of finishing it."Dallavalle was also full of praise for Callender who was outstanding on her captaincy debut. "Alex is a world class player, she leads by example and performed really well, I'm glad that she went well," she said. Last weekend's team sheet may have caused a few double takes as Dallavalle had continued to play under her maiden name Jones after getting married last said the decision to take her husband's name had nothing to do with losing the captaincy, it was pure coincidence."It's nothing exciting really. My passport was expiring and I didn't want to pay extra to change my name earlier, that's the real reason behind it," she joked."It was a nice little surprise for Deano because he didn't know whether I was going to take the Dallavalle name, but it was always in the pipeline. "It just happened to come at the time the captaincy changed and everyone thought it was because of that, but it's actually because I didn't want to pay to change my passport until it expired." Wales will have one final run out in Sydney before their World Cup opener against Scotland in Manchester on 23 August."The morale is really good, but we've still got to work hard and get our heads down ready for Friday because I'm sure Australia are going to come out and battle," added Dallavalle."It's an exciting week and we've got to back it up now."Dallavalle is eyeing her third World Cup, with Lynn set to announce his squad early next month."I'm only 28 so there could be another one if I keep going well," she said. "The growth in the game is brilliant, the support is unreal. It's probably the closest to home World Cup so it will be brilliant, it's just over the bridge for family and friends."
Hamilton Spectator
22-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Hotel Dining Steps Into The Spotlight: OpenTable and KAYAK Debut The Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada
TORONTO, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hotel restaurants are experiencing a revival among diners, evolving from convenient and comfortable options to refined dining destinations, as 61 per cent of Canadians believe hotels have gotten better restaurant offerings in recent years. 1 Canadian search data also shows the use of KAYAK's 'restaurant' hotel filter almost doubled within a year (+99%), highlighting how travel and dining are becoming increasingly connected. 3 To help diners and travellers find their ideal dining destination, OpenTable and KAYAK have joined forces to launch the Top 50 Hotel Restaurants across Canada in 2025. 4 The list is compiled by reviewing restaurants located in hotels and analyzing more than 1 million diner reviews and dining metrics, including diner ratings, reservation demand, among other factors. 'As hotel dining enters a new age with nearly two thirds (61%) of hotel restaurant diners being locals, 2 it's a chance to win over locals looking to dine out, not just overnight guests,' said Matt Davis, Senior Country Director, OpenTable Canada. 'For travellers and locals alike, our new Top 50 Hotel Restaurants list offers great inspiration for elevated meals in standout spots across the country, from Akira Back in Toronto's Bisha Hotel to The Courtney Room in the Magnolia Hotel in Victoria.' 'Travellers aren't just asking 'Where should I go?'—they're asking 'What's on the menu when I get there?'' said Kate Williams, Chief Communications Officer at KAYAK. 'Great dining experiences are an essential part of today's travel itineraries and hotels are rising to the occasion.' New research shows: For travellers hungry for more than just a place to stay, the top hotel restaurants offer innovative menus, top-notch service, and stylish interiors. To explore hotel room rates, average flight prices, and more, explore OpenTable & KAYAK's top hotel restaurant hub. The following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order by Province, comprise the Top 50 Hotel Restaurants . 3 Alberta 1888 Chop House, Banff Braven, Edmonton Castello Italiana, Banff Fonda Fora, Calgary Hawthorn Dining Room and Bar, Calgary Rundle Bar, Banff The Harvest Room - Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - Calgary 4th Ave, Calgary The Vermillion Room, Banff The Wilde On 27, Calgary Waldhaus Restaurant, Banff British Columbia ARC Restaurant, Vancouver ATLAS steak + fish - Burnaby, Burnaby Botanist, Vancouver Lakeside Dining Room - Hotel Eldorado, Kelowna Notch8, Vancouver Tea at The Empress, Victoria The Brickworks, Whistler The Courtney Room, Victoria The Victor – Parq Vancouver, Vancouver Manitoba Oval Room Brasserie – Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg Newfoundland and Labrador The Little Sparo, St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Darya, Halifax Salt & Ash - Halifax, Halifax Ontario Akira Back, Toronto Café Boulud, Toronto Cannery Restaurant, Niagara-on-the-Lake CLOCKWORK, Toronto Corso: Endless Family-Style Italian, Niagara Falls Inn on the Twenty, Jordan Isabelle Restaurant + Lounge, Burlington Joni Restaurant, Toronto KŌST, Toronto Langdon Hall Dining Room, Cambridge LOUIX LOUIS, Toronto Masaki, Niagara-on-the-Lake ONE Restaurant, Toronto REIGN, Toronto The Drawing Room - The Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake The Shore Club - Ottawa, Ottawa The Tea Room - Windsor Arms Hotel, Toronto Tiara Restaurant - Queen's Landing Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake TOCA - The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, Toronto Zoe's at Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa Quebec Bar George, Montréal Bistro le SAM - Fairmont Château Frontenac, Québec City Le Champlain Restaurant - Fairmont Château Frontenac, Québec City Llyod, Montréal Maison Boulud, Montréal Marcus, Montréal About OpenTable OpenTable , a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.8 billion seats a year. OpenTable's world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most – their team, their guests, and their bottom line – while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion. About KAYAK KAYAK , part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is the world's leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travelers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android , and we also support business travelers with our corporate travel solution . Notes to Editors
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
The 'calm' navy officer chosen to steer Wales at Rugby World Cup
Wales' course to the Rugby World Cup has hardly been plain sailing.A wooden spoon, a contracts row, a change of coach and then a Six Nations whitewash have made for pretty choppy when you're trying to steady the ship, making an ex-navy officer your captain makes perfect Williams wasn't an obvious choice for many when coach Sean Lynn opted to stand centre Hannah Jones down as skipper ahead of next month's tournament in having been named alongside bubbly backrower Alex Callender to lead the side as co-captains, it was soon easy to see why the former Gloucester-Hartpury coach nodded to a player he oversaw for two years at the PWR champions."Al Cal brings a real energy and excitement to the squad, while Kate brings a selflessness and a quiet calm authority to everything she does," said Lynn. "I've been really impressed with Kate; the mannerisms and the calm strategic approach she has." Which figures given three years ago she was stood on the bridge of HMNZS Wellington on patrol in the Williams served in the New Zealand navy as a warfare officer, taking the route planned by a navigator and making sure the vessel stuck to course."I think my experience from that is something I've really been able to draw on," says the 25-year-old. "I had a lot of leadership skills and stuff from that, which I'm finding now is kind of crossing over into how I am with the team."Williams spent five years with the navy before changing only took a year's secondment initially when she decided to give herself the chance of fulfilling her rugby dreams with still calls the navy her Plan B, but two PWR titles at the Circus - including a player of the season last term and a try in this year's final win over Saracens - as well as a new contract suggests she might not need it."I think the decision's been justified now," Williams laughs after her elevation to co-captain that will begin with a two-test tour of Australia where Wales will warm up for the World Cup with games against the in Swansea but brought up in New Zealand from the age of four, Williams says 'she grew up Welsh' and was playing rugby from the very start, following in the footsteps of both her mum and were games for North Harbour in the NPC, for Auckland's Blues in their first ever fixture, and for the Defence Ferns, before Wales were made aware of her ambitions and her eligibility.A phone-call in the barracks from then coach Ioan Cunningham was followed by an invitation to training and then an injury cover call-up for the last World Cup."I didn't think I'd be at the next World Cup when I first came over, let alone having the trust put in me to lead the team with Alex," she says, having won her first cap in the 2023 Six Nations. "I've enjoyed every single second of it. Playing for Wales is a massive honour and was a dream of mine."I gave myself a year and then it turned into two, but it's just really taken off. To get the contract was Wales was massive. It meant I could do the one thing I love."And made the sacrifices worth it, leaving behind friends and family, even partner, behind to follow her Wales course. They'll be following her progress from afar when Wales kick-off their tournament against Scotland in Salford on 23 August, having often sent messages from far flung corners of the ocean when Williams has been in with fitness having been an area Lynn was keen to work on during a long, hot summer pre-tournament camp, Williams admits she's already been sharing messages with her fellow former officers to compare notes"A few weeks back we were with the Royal Welsh Regiment and, being in the mess at lunchtime, it all felt a case of 'I've been here before!'," she says."I was telling my mates, imagine if you had to go back to basic training and do it all over again!"It was tough and – when you're not doing training in a game environment – you never know when it's going to end so you just had to hold on for some of it, keeping looking at the task ahead, getting through it, digging deep inside you."Williams admits the sand dunes of Merthyr Mawr were particularly tough – pointing to her red hair for extra sympathy in the sun – mauling up and down hills over and again."It was quite funny being in that environment and we took a lot from it as a team," she adds. "It'll benefit us because when we're in some dark moments in a game, you can look to your left, look to your right, and see people who have been through it with you."Being able to transfer skills and experiences is something that Williams has been able to do, with Wales now looking to do the same when they face Australia next Saturday (05.00BST) and onto the World hopefully put the choppy waters behind them.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How a botched marriage to a 14-year-old made a 'demon obsessed' King start burning elderly women alive
In this second episode of a special miniseries from the Mail's Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things podcast, historian Kate Williams and royal biographer Robert Hardman set out to crown British history's worst ever royal blind date. From seasickness making one Queen so thin her wedding dress nearly fell off, to a famously mad King crying out for his mother after one look at his new bride, the hosts elevated one dating horror story above all others. The marriage of the superstitious James VI to a teenage Anne of Denmark didn't just prove unsatisfying and panic-inducing for the monarchy - it was deeply damaging to the realm. The podcast explores their troubled union and how a stormy wedding voyage sparked a paranoid obsession in James with the supernatural. James VI's turbulent marriage to Anne of Denmark Get your weekly dose of Royal scandals and palace intrigue on this Mail podcast Hosted by Royal Historians Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams, Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things looks at the Royal Family - the secrets, the palace intrigues, and the Crown's bloodiest moments. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. James VI was the son of Mary Queen of Scots and became King of Scotland as an infant. He later succeeded to the English throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, uniting the two kingdoms under one crown. James was 22 when his courtiers presented him with a suitable candidate to be his queen, a 14-year-old Danish princess called Anne. As it was important for the marriage to be formalised quickly, James's court arranged what was known as a proxy consummation. 'The proxy consummator has to be worst job in royal history', historian Kate Williams told the podcast. 'They had to lay in bed with Anne, fully clothed, while everyone in the court watched on.' Now technically married, the teenager set sail for Scotland for a formal wedding celebration. With her was a fleet of 16 ships carrying lavish furniture and horses attached to solid silver carriages. However, weeks pass by, and James's new Queen is nowhere to be seen. As Kate Willaims explained: 'Only six of the ships arrive in Scotland. Anne was forced back to the coast of Norway, to Oslo. 'James hears a rumour that Anne's ships are in trouble. He begins to panic that she's drowned. 'The King orders everyone in Scotland to fast and pray for her safekeeping – and he sends out a search party. Shakespeare would base the witches in Macbeth off the King's book, to honour the monarchy at the play's inaugural performance 'He begins to become obsessed by bad omens and thinks everyone in the realm should take them more seriously. 'He became totally preoccupied with Anne, setting out on his own rescue mission accompanied by 300 other people, including a priest.' Despite his council warning against it, James was successful in his voyage to rescue Anne. Upon seeing her for the first time, to Anne's shock, the King publicly gave her 'a full kiss on the mouth'. Although his bride was safe, James blamed the choppy waters on a cabal of witches in Edinburgh. He was likely influenced by the Danish, who had just started their own witch trials and believed the storms that disrupted the wedding were caused by supernatural forces. Returning to his kingdom, he initiates a series of witch trials – the first of their kind in Scotland. 'These women are usually poor, usually elderly and they're usually widows', Williams said. 'The King personally interviews one of these women, Agnes Sampson, at Holyrood Palace. She's tortured into a confession and then burned alive.' Between 1590 and 1707, nearly 3000 people were killed in increasingly cruel ways as a result of the trials started by James. Ten years after his marriage, the King would pen a book about demonology – remembered one of the first ever collections of horror stories. Shakespeare would base the witches in Macbeth off the King's book, to honour the monarchy at the play's inaugural performance. To hear more stories like this one, search for Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things now, wherever you get your podcasts.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Williams signs new Gloucester-Hartpury contract
Wales co-captain Kate Williams has signed a new contract with Premiership Women's Rugby champions 25-year-old flanker has won the league title in both of her seasons since joining the club from Auckland-based Blues in was named Gloucester-Hartpury's players' player of the season last term and scored the opening try as they beat Saracens in the PWR final in has 16 caps for Wales and was this week named co-captain of the national team."I'm incredibly grateful to Gloucester-Hartpury for everything they've done for my career. The past few seasons have been a whirlwind, but I've loved every single minute of it," she told the club's website, external."To be able to do what I love, alongside a group of girls who have truly become my family, is such a privilege - and honestly, you don't need much more motivation than that."Gloucester-Hartpury did not state the length of Williams' contract.
